Rating:
Genre:
Folk
Release Date: 09/28/1999
Run Time: 57:03
After recording for
Philo/
Rounder and
High Street,
Patty Larkin moved to
Vanguard with
A Gogo: Live on Tour.
Vanguard has been synonymous with folk since the 1950s, so it was a logical place for the Boston-based singer/songwriter. A collection of live performances from
Larkin's 1997 tour of the U.S.,
A Gogo wasn't her first live album --
Philo had put out
Live in the Square in 1990. She favors an intimate, stripped-down setting on these acoustic-oriented performances, and that works to the folk-rocker's advantage on gems that range from
"Do Not Disturb" and
"Good Thing" to
"The Book I'm Not Reading," "Tango," and the bluesy
"Dear Diary." Because
Larkin is such a strong storyteller, going the unplugged route was an excellent idea -- the spare approach really makes her lyrics stand out, whether she's being humorous on
"Wolf at the Door" or poignant on
"Mary Magdalene" and the
Bruce Springsteen-ish
"Me and That Train." This excellent CD is easily recommended to both casual listeners and
Larkin's diehard fans.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide